Knock-down metal door frame



April 10, 1956 T. z. HERR 2,741,345

KNOCK-DOWN METAL DOOR FRAME Filed Jan. 22, 1952 |1 l II," Ih: Illumwhlh i Illini. jun.

INVENTOR. 7745620025 Z. HEP/P United States Patent 2,741,345 KNOCK-DOWN NETAL DOOR FRAME Theodore Z. Herr, Warren, Ohio, assignor to The American Weiding and Manufacturing Company, Warren, Ghia, a corporation of hio Application January 22, 1952, Serial No. 267,621

3 Claims. (Cl. 189-46) The present invention relates generally to metal door frames and is more particularly concerned with a novel spreader which is readily attached and detached and removed from a door frame and with a door frame assembly comprising a metal door frame and said novel spreader.

During the installation of metal door frames, it is necessary to maintain the lower ends of the jamb members of the frame in predetermined position in order that the installed frame will t the door. Devices for holding these parts of the frames in position during such operations have heretofore been developed and extensively used. However, it has always been necessary to attach them permanently to the frames so that they were left With the installed frames to become a part of the building.

The novel spreaders of the present invention are not only capable of performing all the desired functions of these prior art devices, but also are free from the shortcomings and derelictions and consequently constitute a substantial advance in this ield. In particular, the spreaders of this invention are removable so that they can be reused many times. Furthermore, these spreaders are easily incorporated in or assembled with a frame because they do not require riveting or Welding or a similar permanent attachment operation.

The spreaders of this invention have the further advantage that they may be used to aid in assembling of a knockdown type metal door frame and then removed from the assembled frame to be applied to it again when the frame is to be installed in a building. ln other Words, these spreaders may serve not only as frame installation tools, but also as frame assembly tools, and they may serve both these purposes at the same time or at different times and with the same or dilferent frames, depending upon the desires of the user and the requirements of the assembling and installation operations involved.

Those skilled in the art will gain a more complete and better understanding of this invention upon consideration of the detailed description set out below taken in conjunction with the drawings accompanying and fornr ing a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, side-elevational View of a jamb spreader element of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan View of the Fig. l spreader element;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a fabricated knock-down door frame of this invention with the Fig. 1 spreader assembled therewith and spacing apart the iamb members thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but shows still another form of spreader device embodying this invention in assembly with a door frame jamb member.

Briey, the present invention comprises in a metal door frame the combination of a separate and readily attached and detached and removed spreader for positioning the jamb members of the frame during installation.

2,741,345 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 This spreader comprises an elongated metal body having a stiff, longitudinally-extending, abutment portion to extend between and engage the inside surfaces of the upright jamb members, and exible end portions spaced from the abutment portion to grip and hold the upright members in predetermined relative position against the ends of the abutment portion.

More particularly and with reference especially to Fig. 3, a typical door frame assembly embodying thisinvention comprises a door frame F, preferably of the type described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 339,747, filed March 2, 1953, and a spreader member 60 engaging the lower end portions ofthe jamb members of the frame and holding them in predetermined spaced relation.

As illustrated, door frame F comprises a pair of jamb members l0, each of which has opposed, inwardly-di rected flange portions 12 running their full lengths. Sides 17 of these jamb members are formed at their upper ends at a 45 angle so that the flanges 12 extend substantially above the web portions of the inner faces of the jamb members to produce a mitered-corner construction in the assembled frame. The lower ends of the jamb members are suitably square so that the frame may rest firmly on a floor or other supporting means to facilitate assembly or installation of the frame.

Frame F also includes header member 20 which, like jamb member iii, is of sheet metal construction and channel-shaped and is provided with a pair of opposed,in wardly-turned, longitudinally-extending llanges 22. At each end of the header, it is formed t6 define a 45 angle for engagement with complementary portions of sides 17 of the jambs, whereby closed mitered corners are produced when the header and jambs are fitted together.

The means by which the header and jambs are secured together and the mitered corners are held firmly against any tendency to open or rack are described in detail in my aforesaid copending application. Also, details of the inner construction of the jambs and header are set out in the said copending application for the complete understanding of those skilled in the art.

A spreader member of this invention is preferably a relatively thin, light, sheet metal element 60 which in plan is generally C-shaped, and which has an inwardlydirected ange 62 extending from a point adjacent to one end to a point adjacent to the other end serving to stiften the spreader and determine the spacing of the jamb members with which the device is employed. End portions 63 of the Fig. 1 device are turned inwardly and the device is suitably made of steel and is of such section as to have resiliency so that the member may be snapped on a pair of spaced jamb members and hold itself in place there and yet may be readily removed when desired. The spacing between end portion 63 and the auge 62 accordingly is substantially the thickness of jamb members 10 and the length of ange 52 represents the distance which it is desired to separate the jamb members.

Spreader 70 of this invention illustrated in Fig. 5 dilers from that of Fig. l essentially only in respect to the fact that it is of such section and such metal as will permit its end portions to be wrapped partly or completely around a jamb member to hold the spreader in place as long as required. Thus, spreader 70, like that of Fig. l, has a anged body portion, the ange 72 of which is as long as the distance which jambs 10 are intended to be spaced apart in the nal door frame assembly. Likewise the end portions 73 to embrace the jambs and hold spreader 70 in place are spaced from the ends of ange 72 by substantially the thickness of said jambs.

Having thus described the present invention so that those skilled in the art may be able to gain a better understanding and practice the same, I state that what I desire to securerby Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed'.H

What is claimed is:

l. In a metal door frame comprising spaced upright jambV members and a headerl member engaged with and connectingzthe upper ends of the jamb members and formingtlie topy of the door frame, Athe combination of a sep- Y arate and readily attached and detached and removedV tion comprising anelongated metal body having stir? longitudinally extending central abutment portion to ca tend between and engage the inside surfaces of the upright jambV members, and flexible and resilient end portions spacedY from saidy abutment portion to frictonally engage and' resiliently hold said upright; members inv predeterrrrinedrelative4 position against the ends of said abutment portion. Y

2. In a metal door frame comprising spaced upright jamb members and a header member engaged with and connecting the upper ends of the jamb members and forming the top of the door frame, the combination of a separate and readily attached and detached and removed spreader for positioning 'the jarnb members during installation comprising an elongated metal .body having a stii longitudinally extendingcentral abutment portion to ex tendV between andv engage the inside surfaces of the upright jamb members, and exible end portions spaced from said abutment portion to be bent and shaped to the upright members to grip said upright members and hold them in predetermined relative position against the ends of said abntment portion.

3. In a metal door fran@ comprising spaced upright jamb members and a header member engaged with `and connecting the upper ends of the jamb members and forming the top of the door frame, the combination of a sepa rate and readily attached and kdetached and removed spreader for'positioning the jamb members during installation comprising an elongated metal body having a stiff longitudinally extending central abutment portion to extend between and engage the inside surfaces of the upright jamb members, and eXibleY end portions spaced from said abutment portion lto grip. and hold said. upright members in predetermined relative position against the ends of said abutment portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain 7..-,.. Nov. 2l, 1.939 

